Carrier Sekani Family Services has secured funding to build and operate a safe house shelter to address family violence in partnership with the Lake Babine Nation.
Marlaena Mann with CSFS says the shelter is aimed at providing a safe space for adults and children as they flee violent situations.
“We have a very high level of violence and we have issues along the Highway of Tears as we know with women being murdered and missing. And there are no First Nations run (shelter) services to address these issues,” says Mann.
She says they’ll use a First Nations holistic perspective at the shelter to keep people from returning to any violence once they leave.
“And to make sure the whole community is involved in the healing,” says Mann. “The approach that we are suggesting would include men, for example. Men need to be a part of the solution…it’s definitely something we feel will help.”
She says the announcement comes as a milestone for the project after they started working on the 2 million dollar proposal back in July. The plan is to have the 4500 sq. foot shelter on the Lake Babine Nation beside Burns Lake, accommodating up to 23 occupants.
“We did a lot of community consultation when we put the proposal together, and that’s the number (23) that we came up with…so we feel that it will meet the needs,” says Mann.
Lake Babine Nation Chief Wilf Adam says, “it is really important that we offer quality and appropriate services for women, children and men, and provide the space for healing towards wellness.“
The project will be funded by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation with operational funding through Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.
They expect to have the shelter completed by mid 2018.